Argelers concentration camp facts for kids
The Argelers concentration camp was a place where many Spanish people were held in France. It was set up in early 1939 near the town of Argelès-sur-Mer. These people were refugees from the Spanish Civil War, which was happening in Spain. Some were soldiers from the Spanish Republican Army who were retreating from the war.
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What Was the Argelers Camp?
The camp was located by the Mediterranean Sea in a region called Roussillon. It was about 8 kilometers (5 miles) north of the border between France and Spain.
More than 100,000 Spanish people, both civilians and soldiers, were sent to the Argelers camp. These included many from the Eastern Region Army Group (GERO). They had crossed the border after the Fall of Barcelona and during the Retirada. The Retirada was a desperate retreat of many civilians and soldiers towards the French border. This happened at the end of the Francoist Catalonia Offensive in the Spanish Civil War.
When the Spanish refugees entered France, they were disarmed and arrested. Some Republican military leaders, like Juan Modesto and Enrique Líster, hoped to regroup their soldiers in France. They wanted to continue fighting against the forces of Francisco Franco. However, the French government did not allow this. All the Spanish soldiers who crossed the border were disarmed and sent to French camps.
Life in the Camp
Conditions in the Argelers camp were very difficult. There were no proper toilets or running water. People had no huts or shelters, so they dug holes in the ground to protect themselves. Food was simply thrown over the fence into the camp. Doctors in the camp were not given the supplies they needed.
Diseases spread easily because of the poor conditions. Guards would sometimes bring petroleum baths to help with fleas and lice. The French authorities also tried to encourage the refugees to go back to Spain. Many people died in the camp from cold, illness, or sadness. Because of the harsh conditions, the French government later opened more camps along the Pyrenees mountains. Many refugees from Argelers were moved to these other camps, like the Gurs internment camp.
Famous People Held at Argelers
Some notable people were held at the Argelers camp:
- Marcel Langer: A member of the international brigades. He later became a hero in the French Resistance during World War II.
- Diego Camacho (known as Abel Paz): A Spanish writer.
- Rubén Ruiz Ibárruri: The son of a famous Spanish Communist leader, Dolores Ibárruri.
- Vicente Ferrer Moncho: A well-known humanitarian.
- Joaquim Amat-Piniella: A Catalan writer.
- Peko Dapčević: A Yugoslav partisan fighter.
- Arthur Adamov: A playwright known for the Theatre of the Absurd.
- Andrés García La Calle: A commander of fighter planes for the Spanish Republican Air Force.
- Josep Bartolí: A Catalan artist.
Remembering the Camp
There is a monument on the northern beach of Argelès-sur-Mer to remember the camp. It has an important message:
A la mémoire des 100.000 Républicains Espagnols, internés dans le camp d'Argelès, lors de la RETIRADA de Février 1939. Leur malheur: avoir lutté pour défendre la Démocratie et la République contre le fascisme en Espagne de 1936 à 1939. Homme libre, souviens toi.
In memory of the 100.000 Spanish republicans, interned in the Camp of Argelès, during the RETIRADA in February 1939. Their disgrace: having fought for defending democracy and the republic against fascism in Spain from 1936 to 1939. Free Men, remember them.
(A la memoria de los 100.000 republicanos españoles, internados en el campo de Argelès, tras la RETIRADA de febrero de 1939. Su desgracia: haber luchado para defender la Democracia y la República contra el fascismo en España de 1936 a 1939. Hombre libre, acuérdate.)
See also
In Spanish: Campo de concentración de Argelès-sur-Mer para niños
